Shouts for Help
by BreathingFantasies
Summary: Cosette runs away from home and wanders in the woods trying to clear her head. She runs into a trio of school boys and ends up in a sticky situation. Will she be saved in time or will she return home broken?
1. Fresh Air

It was late, but Cosette didn't care. She was sick of all the secrets, and all the lies. She was a big girl now, and was sure she could handle whatever her father had been hiding from her. But he still refused to tell her. She needed some fresh air, so she went to her backyard. She loved her father, and that will always be true. But on this night in particular she couldn't stand to be within ear shot of him. She had to get away, even just for a little bit. Now she regretted it. She was lost in the woods, and it was too dark to see anything. She tried to remember the layout from when she was younger, but it was so long ago. The feelings remained the same, however, as she stumbled through trees in search for sanctuary. Suddenly, she heard voices. They were barely audible, but she could tell they were slurred. The footsteps got closer and she froze, unsure of what to do. Her father was always there for her when she was scared or in danger, so she never needed to be tought how to handle herself. As the figures got closer she noticed they were school boys, no older than she was, and they were drunk. One of them wore a red vest and had golden hair. Another had darker hair and carried a beer bottle. The last of the trio wore a black vest and short, shaggy dark hair. Their laughter stopped when they spotted her, and they began to close in. She backed away until the was leaning against a tree.  
"A lovely one, isn't she fellas?" Said the one in the red vest. He looked her up and down as he said it. She tried not to panick but was mentally crying out for her father. How could she be so foolish?  
"One of the finest I've seen. What lovely hair..." The one in the green commented as he twirled a strand of her hair. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine herself as a young girl, playing with her doll that her father bought her the day they met. She smiled to herself.  
"What are you so happy about?" The one with the black vest said as he inched closer. She opened her eyes again and reminded herself of where she was. She couldn't just stand there and say nothing.  
"You all are drunk. I suggest returning to your homes and sleeping it off before you get hurt or cause harm to someone else. I can see you all mean well, but I must be going." She said. She began to turn around and walk off, but the one in red grabbed her wrist.  
"Going so soon? I realize we have failed to introduce ourselves. I am Enjolras, this is Grantaire, and this is Coureyfac." He said with a smile. Cosette couldn't help but feel comfortable under his gaze. But something in her mind told her to get away as quick as possible.  
"It's very nice to meet you all, but really I must be off." She tried to move away but was once again held back. This time they circled around her so there was no way of her escaping.  
"Oh, come on. A little fun won't kill you." Grantaire said as he played with the hemming of her dress.  
"Don't touch me!" She exclaimed as she pushed his hands away.

"A fiesty one, she is!" Coureyfac said as he grabbed her by the shoulders. He moved in for a kiss and before she could push away their lips met. She could taste the alcohol on his lips and began to struggle. She prayed to God for help so that she may return to her father the way she left. Being a man of God, he would surely be disappointed if she came back home impure. She shuddered at the thought. They trio began to toss her around as if she were a toy, and suddenly she was pinned to the floor. She cried out for help as they began to play with her clothing. It reminded her of her doll and how she would undress her and make sure her clothes were perfectly clean before she put them back on. But she knew this wasn't the case. She cried out as loud as she could before having a hand be put over her mouth. When she thought all hope was lost she heard loud footsteps running towards them.  
"STOP. STOP THIS. You are better than this!" A young man said. He must have been a student as well. His face was dotted with freckles all over, and he beautiful brown hair that complimented his skin tone.  
"Marius! Um, we were just..." Enjolras tried to come up with an excuse but was cut off by Marius' hand.  
"Just get back to the Cafe and get rest. I will help the lady. We will speak of this later." The boys nodded as they jogged off. The boy helped Cosette up.  
"Are you okay?" He asked. She nodded numbly as she wiped off her clothes,  
"My name is Marius, as you might have known. Would you care to share yours?" She looked at him and saw a warm and friendly smile on his face. Not like Enjolras', where it was fake, but this one was sincere. She smiled back.  
"My name is Cosette. I was trying to get some fresh air when your comrades attacked me." She said with a grimace. He chuckled.  
"I apologize on their behalf. That usually doesn't happen. It's a good thing I came looking for them." Cosette looked at the ground, not wanting to think about what would have happened if he didn't.  
"Thank you. It is greatly appreciate it." She looked back at him and looked at her with concern.  
"Are you lost? I would be happy to walk you back home." She nodded and he offered his arm. They walked back in silence, arm in arm. They arrived at her house and she knocked on the door. She hoped her father would not be too upset. He opened the door and flung himself at Cosette.  
"Oh, my dearest Cosette! I was so worried about you! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He said. She laughed at his storm of question and shook her head. He sighed with relief and his eyes traveled over to Marius. He raised an eyebrow.  
"Who is this, Cosette?" He asked as he slightly pushed her behind him.  
"Papa, this is Marius. He saved me from being harmed by his comrades. They meant well, but the alcahol had gone to their heads." Her father smiled and shook the boy's hand.  
"Thank you for saving my daughter. God bless you, and have a good night." Marius smiled and waved goodbye to Cosette before turning around and disappearing into the darkness. She hoped they would meet again soon.


	2. The Truth

Chapter Two: The Truth

**I do not own any of the characters from Les Mis nor am I associated with anyone who does. This story was supposed to be a one shot but a special someone convinced me to make it multi chapter! I hope you enjoy this chapter of Shouts for Help. :D**

Cosette lay on her bed replaying the events of last night. She tried to keep her mind from wondering what would have happened if Marius arrived a minute later than he did. She was just happy she made it home safely. She jumped when there was a knock at her door.  
"Cosette, may I come in? There's something I want to talk about with you." Her father said. She opened the door and moved aside to let her father in. He looked exhausted and was fiddling with his shirt, which was something he only did when he was about to say something important.  
"What is it, Papa? Is everything alright?" Cosette asked as she sat back on her bed and watched as her father continued to fidget. He nodded and forced a smile.  
"I'm sorry for keeping so many things from you all these years. I could have prevented you from danger last night. So I think now is a good time I told you the full story." Her father sat next to her on her bed and she listened intently as he poured out his back story to her. It was a tale filled with angst, power, empathy, regret, and forgiveness. She never would have thought her father, the man who took her away from a miserable life, had been a prisoner! When he was done teling his story, she noticed he had tears in his eyes. She wiped them away with a smile.  
"There's no reason to cry. Forgive me for being so foolish last night. I should have just waited until you decided it was a good time to tell me." Her father shook his head.  
"No, please. Forgive _me._ There was no reason I should have been hiding it from you all this time. So, now that it's out of the way, I think it's time I teach you some defence skills in case you are ever put in that kind of situation again. Are you ready?" Cosette nodded and followed her father to their garden. When night fell, Cosette knew how to react to strangers and what to say or do to get rid of them. She also knew how to control her reflexes and how to use them to her advantage.  
"My little warrior." Her father had said to her. But later that night he came back to her room with a more serious look.  
"What bothers you now, Papa?" Cosette asked with concern. He let out a heavy sigh.  
"It's that boy. What are your feelings towards him?" Cosette had never really thought about that before. She thought of Marius a nice man who meant well. She was also very grateful for him saving her. Did she have feelings towards him?  
"I'm not entirely sure." Her father raised an eyebrow.  
"Do you love him, Cosette?" She was taken aback by the question. Did she love Marius? She thought back to when they first met. The way he was so gentle and kind towards her. The way his hazel eyes gazed into hers as if he were searching for a secret. Her heart fluttered as she did. That had never happened before.  
"I don't know what I'm feeling, Papa. I think I may. How do you know when you're in love?" Her father looked knowingly into the distance as he searched for an answer.  
"When you see or think about that person, your heart does a little dance. You can think about them for hours and your mind never wanders. It's nealry undescribable." Cosette looked out her window and wondered if Marius was thinking about her.  
"I think I do love him, Papa." Her father chuckled. She turned around.  
"What is so funny?"  
"I never thought I would see the day. I keep you so iscolated from the outside world I find it hard you would ever have feelings for someone other than your dolls." She began to laugh along with her father. Suddenly he stopped.  
"You have my permission to see him. But if he tries to pull any tricks, you know what to do." He said as he put his arms in a ninja type of formation. Cosette laughed and rolled her eyes at her father. She couldn't help but feel a sudden wave of joy. She couldn't wait to see Marius again.

**Well, as some of you may know I also have another multi chapter story going on that I update every Saturday. So I will be updating this story every Saturday as well. And because I have a crazy imagination I may just throw in a few one shots every now and then on a random day. I hope you liked this chapter, and if you review I will give you a cookie. Until next time! xx**


	3. Tomorrow

Chapter Three: Tomorrow  
Marius paced back and forth as he pondered what to say. His friends had recently harassed a girl, one in which he was rather fond of, and now he was expected to lecture them. Finally, he came to a hault, and his friends drew in sharp breathes.  
"Next time, just go straight home, alright?" Marius said. The other boys looked at each other confused. Marius chuckled and shook his head.  
"There's no point in lecturing you. I mean, you know what you tried to do was wrong, and I trust it won't happen again," Marius began. The boys were about to get up, but Marius put up a hand.  
"However, I will be seeing Cosette again soon, and it is possible you all will cross paths. When you see her, I expect you all to be perfect gentlemans. I am heard?" The boys nodded and Marius waved a dismissive hand. _There's no time like the present, _Marius thought. He jogged out the Cafe and made his way over to Cosette's house. It was absolutely stunning: There was a gate, and behind it lay a garden. Butterflies flew around and rested on patches of colorful flowers that resembled the colors of a perfect summer day. He looked back up in front of him, and there stood Cosette. He hadn't even heard her walk out, supporting his idea that she was indeed very graceful. He stared into her big blue eyes and saw happiness.  
"You came." She whispered.  
"I couldn't stay away." He said. It was true, she was all he though about these days. She smiled at him and put her hand on the gate. Marius put his hand on top of hers.  
"You've been crossing my mind all day, you know. I can never think straight." Cosette spoke softly, yet her voice sounded like a dozen church bells. Marius chuckled.  
"You're not the only one. My friends often tease me for it." At that, Cosette's face fell. Marius raised an eyebrow.  
"Is something wrong, my dear Cosette?" Marius asked worriedly. She shook her head and grinned.  
"I would really like to meet your friends, formally that is. I want to know what their like as themselves. My father always said the people you surround yourself with impact who you are. I want to see how you turned out to be such a gentleman." Marius squeezed Cosette's hand and pressed his lips against them.  
"I will see it done. How does tomorrow afternoon sound?" He asked.  
"It sounds lovely. I will meet you here then." She blew him a kiss and disappeared back into the garden. Marius put a hand over his chest. His heart had never beat at such a rate as this. He walked quietly back to the Cafe listening to Cosette's voice in his head. For the first time in his life, he had something to look forward to.  
**Aw, that's so sweet. I wonder what will happen when Cosette meets the boys again? We'll just have to see. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I apologize for any feels I have given you, if I even have. Until next week! xx**


	4. Second Chances

Chapter Four: Second Chances  
Cosette scurried around her room as she tried to find the perfect outfit to wear. It was her first outing with Marius, so she took it upon herself to make sure she looked the part. After a few minutes of frustration, she finally peiced it together. Perfect, she thought. She had on a flowy dress bombarded with flowers. Her hair was out as well, and she made it extra curly than usual. Her father came in and was taken aback by how stunning his daughter looked.  
"Do you like my outfit, Papa?" Cosette asked. Tears welled up in Valjean's eyes.  
"You remind me of your mother. She always looked so graceful, no matter what she was wearing." Cosette's face fell and as she was about to ask her father to tell her more about her mother, they heard a knock on the door.  
"Must be Pontmercy." Her father commented with a small grin as he opened the door, Cosette following close behind.  
"Good evening, Monsieur. I want to thank you for letting me take your daughter out tonight." Marius said in a calm tone. His words always flowed together perfectly, just another reason Cosette had fallen in love with him. Cosette moved away from her father and locked arms with Marius.  
"I can tell you are different than most others, Marius. But trusting you with my daughter is a big responsibility, for both you and I." Marius nodded and Cosette held back the urge to roll her eyes at him.  
"I assure you she will return home safely. Especially if I have anything to say about it." And with that, Cosette Marius walked out. The two walked in silence for a while, before Marius stopped and turned to Cosette.  
"You look absolutely beautiful tonight, Cosette." Marius whispered. She gave a small laugh and looked back up at him.  
"I could say the same about you." Marius grinned, but it did not last.  
"Cosette, I must tell you something. Our outing tonight will be taking place at the ABC Cafe. It is where all my friends and I like to converse." Before Marius could continue, Cosette nodded her head.  
"And you wish to warn me that those same men that attacked me that night will also be present."  
"If you want to go somewhere else..." Marius began. He wouldn't want Cosette, his dearly beloved Cosette, to feel uncomfortable on their first date!  
Cosette shook her head slightly. "No. If this is to continue, it would be best to know the people you wish to spend your time with." Marius smiled and the two continued to walk again. Finally they arrived at the ABC Cafe. It was illuminated with life. You could hear the hearty laughs of young boys and men and slurred insults. Playful, of course. There was a young boy standing in the window. He had blond hair that flowed around his face and fell on his shoulders. He looked no older than 9, possibly 10 at most. She could barely see them, but Cosette could make out his ocean blue eyes. What was a young boy doing in such a rowdy place as this? Before she could ask Marius he was already tugging her forward.

As I tried to get my comrades to calm down I heard footsteps on the stairs. I stopped abrubtly, and from the looks on everyone else's face I could tell I hadn't imagined it. Could Marius be back so soon? I turned my head, slightly, as to not attract too much attention to myself, and saw it was indeed Marius. Someone else was there with hiim, and I already knew who it was before Marius introduced her.  
"My friends, this is Cosette. We met not too long ago and we have grown very close in that short amount of time. I thought it would be an appropiate time to introduce you all!" Marius said excitedly. Well, this was awkward.  
"Well, Cosette, let me introduce you to everyone. This is Joly, Feuilly, Comberferre, Grantaire, Gavroche, and Courfeyrac, my right hand man. And I am-"  
"Enjolras. Yes, I remember." Cosette said, with a sense of bitterness. I gulped hard. She was not going to make this easy, was she? I heard a stool screeching and hard footsteps approaching Cosette and I. I turned around to see Grantaire coming, with a bottle swinging in his hand. Oh no.  
"Alright, listen. Enjolras, Courfeyrac and I are all very sorry for the incident that happened-"  
"As am I." Cosette murmmured. Grantaire rolled his eyes.  
"You know, there's no point in apologizing if you keep bitchin about it." ALERT. ALERT. I shoot Grantaire a look that said _What the hell do you think you're doing?!_ But he ignores it. Marius looks panicked, but Cosette only scoffs.  
"You should be grateful I didn't report you! And I suggest you stop talking before I do." Grantaire's eye twitches. Shit, he's mad now.  
"Who do you think you are to walk in here and talk to me like that? I demand more respect!" Grantaire shouted, slamming the bottle so hard on a table it shatters. I walk over to Grantaire and put a hand on his shoulder.  
"'Taire. It's okay. Just let it go." He tenses, but after a while he relaxes a bit. He shrugs my hand off and storms out without so much as a second glance. I'll be sure to have a long talk with him later. I give Cosette and apologetic look.  
"I apologize on behalf of my friend's behavior. He can be like that sometimes." Cosette responds with a simple, "Hmmm." It grows silent and you can literally sense the uncomfortable.  
"Excuse me miss." Said a small voice. Gavroche approaches and tugs at Cosette's dress.  
"Yes, Gavroche?" She responded in a sweet voice. That was a quick change in attitude.  
"If you're going to be dating Marius there are a few things you should know. First off, don't make Grantaire angry. We'll have to clean his mess up. Sometimes they can be very violent. Second, don't interrupt when Enjolras speaks. Just don't do it. And last, if you break his heart we will see you carry the burden the rest of your life. Got it?" And with that, Gavroche walked out the Cafe as if there was nothing left to say. He was right.****

I am so happy I was FINALLY able to type the next chapter. I hope it was good enough for three weeks of nothing. :/ 


	5. A Scolding

Chapter Six: A Scolding

As I lay in bed I hear the opening and slammed closing of our apartment door. Enjolras must be home. Great. I sit up in bed and do my best to prepare for the lecture in store for me.

"What the hell was that back there?" He screamed at me as he charged into out bedroom. I chuckled.

"I could ask little miss perfect blonde the exact same thing." Enjolras shook his head.

"This isn't a joke,Grantaire." I hop off the bed and stride slowly over to him.

"But isn't it? Marius finds the perfect girl and wants to show her off to all his friends! She'd be better off alone in the woods, if you ask me." I say, dismissing the disapproving looks on Enjolras' face.

"Marius is very upset. He just wants us all to get along, and so do I." He says, nearly a whisper. I scoff.

"Since when do you care about other people's personal feelings? All you care about is equality and justice. There's no room for anything other than that in your mind." Enjolras opens his mouth, but closes it again. I sit back on the edge of the bed and eye him. He's never been one to hesitate about something he wanted to say.

"I just wish you could control your emotions better. I don't like seeing you explode like that. I always worry that when you storm out I-I-"

"What is it?"

" I may not see you again." He murmurrs, trying to hide back tears, failing terribly. I rush to him and pull him into a tender embrace as I wipe the tears from his pure, angelic face.

"You know I would not last a day without you, my darling Apollo." He lifts up his chin and grins at me. I look into his eyes and nearly grow weak at the knees. Staring into those glimmering blue ores have always been my weakness.

"What do you say we call it a night? It's been a long day." Enjolras says softly. I nod and join him in one of the best nights of sleep I've had in a long time.

**Just a short little somein somein. Hope you liked this chapter!**


	6. Heres The Deal

Ard. So now that school is out I take it as the perfect opportunity to relight the flame in this story. New chapters will be up regularly from now on. Sorry for the EXTREME delay, but I got this now. :D


	7. Redeem Ourselves

**Okay, so I've decided to shift the writing style from first person to third. It's just easier to write that way, yes?**

Chapter Seven: Redeem Ourselves

The carnival was pouring with activity. Children were rushing about - girls holding up their beautiful, flowy dresses in attempt to catch up with the scrawny little boys as the adults gathered and shared stories. The town was consumed with the sound of cheering and giggles and the sight of happy faces.

"Marius, this was such a great idea to come here! I thought I would never live to see the day I actually got to go to another carnival." Cosette marveled. Her bright, mint-colored eyes sparkled at the sight. Marius chuckled and Cosette turned to him quizically.

"What's so funny? Did I say something?" She asked. Marius slightly shook his head and smiled genuinely.

"No, not at all. It's just so interesting to see the child in you come out. You're usually itching to become a true adult." Cosette smirked at this realization, but looking over Marius' shoulder her face suddenly fell.

"What is it, Cosette? What troubles you?" Marius inquired, turning around to get a look at what she was seeing.

"No..." He whispered. The sight they saw that was so devestating was in fact Marius' peers, all of Les Amis, making their way towards them with smiles on their faces.

"Marius, what are they doing here? I thought today was just the two of us." Cosette hissed. She was still getting over the confrontantion with Grantaire.

"I thought so as well." Marius trembled at the thought of their date being runied by a bunch of bad blood. But there was no stopping them now.

"Why, hello there love birds! Fancy seeing you here." Courfeyrac belted, the rest following near him.

"Indeed," Marius responded. "How blessed we are with this coincidence." Marius got closer to Courfeyrac and leaned ever so slightly just enough so that his mouth reached his ear.

"How did you know we would be here?" He whispered, only loud enough for Courfeyrac to here.

"You told me, remember?"

Marius took another swig of absinthe as he considered confiding in Courfeyrac. He always had before, but his friend had a history of spreading information that was meant to be kept secret. But how much harm could really be done?

"C-Courfeyrac. I have... I have something I want to tell you. But you can't tell anyone!" Marius stammered, making it clear the alcohol was going to his head. His curly headed friend turned to him with a quizicall expression.

"Cross my heart. What's on your mind, my freckled companion?" He asked.

"Well, I'm planning on bringing Cosette to the carnival as soon as it comes into town, but I'm afraid she will be displeased." Courfeyrac snorted.

"Who could ever be bored at a carnival? Look, if you're that nervous, maybe we could come along for emotional support-"

"NO!" Marius bellowed, causing everyone in the ABC Cafe to turn and look at him confused. Giving them a nervous smile and a small wave, he turned back to Courfeyrac and lowered his voice.

"I really don't want any uneccessary drama on this date." Marius said in a serious tone. Courfeyrac nodded his head in understanding.

"Well, all I can tell you is don't be nervous. I'm sure she'll have loads of fun as long as you're there alongside her. I know I would." Marius blushed at the comment.

"Thank you, Courfeyrac. I knew I could confide in you." Courfeyrac ruffled Marius' hair and smirked before requesting another shot of absinthe.

Marius sighed.

"I thought I told you to keep it to yourself." Marius growled.

"Well, Enjolras wanted to know what you were shouting about, so I had to tell him. The last thing I expected him to do was invite everyone to join him at the carnival in attempt to mend the wounds we have reopened with Cosette. I couldn't stop him. Sorry, Marius. But hey, now we get to spend time at the carnival together!" Courfeyrac chimed. But by the look on Marius' face, he could tell this was going to be an extremely awkward trip to the carnival. Cosette stepped forward with a displeased expression planted on her face.

"I'm not sure if you were all aware, but this is supposed to be time reserved for Marius and I. So I don't know if you were expecting to spend it with the two of us but-"

"But... I'm sure we can all work something out." Marius added nervously. Cosette turned to him with a look of disbelief, and he responded with a shrug of the shoulders.

"I'm glad to hear that," Enjolras boomed, with his natural leader tone. "I hope we can treat this time as a chance to right some wrongs." He finished his statement attempting to make eye contact with Grantaire, but he continued to avoid Enjolra's glance.

"Well with that, who's ready to have some fun?" Courfeyrac asked, and his peers gave shouts of appreciation and excitement as they raced towards the first game they saw. Cosette, Marius, and Grantaire, however, did not move. Marius was ecstatic to go, but did not want to abandon Cosette.

"Come on then, you two," Marius chimed, slinging his arms around both their shoulders. "Let's go enjoy ourselves, yes?" With a grunt from Grantaire and a scoff from Cosette they were on their way.

Cosette was never one to stay in a sour mood for long, which is why Marius wasn't surprised when she perked up at the sight of a ball toss. She raced over to the came leaving Marius to scurry behind her and Grantaire sluggishly making his way to the two. Cosette and Marius had already began a round, and Grantaire struggled holding back his laughter at seeing Marius' poor aim and missing ever toss. Meanwhile, Cosette had the best aim he had seen in a long time. (Not that he was complimenting her or anything, he was just pointing out the facts.) The round ended and Cosette sighed with disappointment.

"Why are you upset? You won." Marius said. Cosette rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.

"It's no fun if you're playing with someone with terrible aim!" She exclaimed.

"I need a new competitor..." She said as she looked around. She locked eyes with Grantaire and hesitated. He looked around confused and then looked back at her.

"Me?" He asked, pointing at his chest. Cosette took a deep breathe and was about to speak, but Marius beat her to it.

"If you to are going to eventually get past your differences, why not start with some playful bonding?" The two of them looked at each other exasperated and in that moment they realized they shared a common thought: Marius can be an idiot. Flustered at the sudden realization they nodded in agreement and stepped up to the counter.

"I hope you don't think you honestly have a chance against me." Grantaire muttered with a smirk. Cosette tried to hold back a small laugh but failed and shut her mouth quickly.

"You underestimate me because I am a woman?" She responded.

"I underestimate you because you chose an idiot to fall in love with." He stated with a chuckle. She giggled at this and was surprised to see them getting along so well. Playing the game it was hard to predict who would win - they both showed a fighting chance at victory. The round ended with Cosette as the victor. She turned and gave Grantaire a sly look.

"Your skills are impressive. But this is game is child's play. Let's see if you can beat me at something more mature." Grantaire challenged. Cosette couldn't help but crack at smile.

"I never back out of a challenge. You're on." Cosette responded, and with that the two were off, leaving Marius in awe at their sudden friendliness towards each other. He smiled knowingly to himself. This would be the start of a beautiful, yet extremely deadly companionship - and it was all thanks to him.

More or less.


End file.
